


Thank Loki

by Jkmac3



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Comic Book Violence, Established Relationship, Happy Ending, Hurt Bucky Barnes, Light Angst, M/M, Not Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Compliant, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, only sort of, suicide ideation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25520731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jkmac3/pseuds/Jkmac3
Summary: “James? Will you allow me to teach you how to teleport?”“What?“I said, will you please allow me to teach you how to teleport?”“What?”“Oh for the love of…” Tony began, rolling his eyes dramatically. “Hey Communist Threat. Maleficent over there wants to teach you how to transport yourself across distances instantly.”
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 5
Kudos: 75





	Thank Loki

“Will you allow me to teach you how to teleport?”

The question was asked gently; curiosity ringing in it’s cultured tones. Maybe it was because the room was already comfortably quiet and everyone was sedated, that it took a moment to grab anyone's attention; everyone taking a moment to process the question. 

Due to Bucky’s wounds, the Avengers were relaxing in Steve and Bucky’s living room after Sunday brunch. The team was exhausted. They had spent the previous day in Iceland, trying to corral a fifty foot tentacle monster away from Grimsey Island. Bucky took the worst of their injuries when he’d been knocked from the open rear cargo hold of the Quinjet, Clint had hovering out in the ocean. The beast had been so huge they’d needed to pilot the Quinjet out over the water so Bucky could get a good long range shot. Unfortunately, he’d drawn it’s attention with his first two shots; it’s hide too thick to penetrate so easily. Bucky’d had just enough time to put one final round through the creature’s eye and watch, through the hole left behind by his modified M82A3 SASR, as the beast made one final lunge at the jet before Bucky was being hurled against the metal of the cargo ramp and thrown into the freezing water. The monster had made it just far enough out into the water for it’s terrifyingly long tentacles to reach the jet; slamming into the side and knocking Bucky loose. He’d broken his right wrist and cracked his head on one of the metal benches lining the hold. Before everything went black, Bucky felt one of the creature’s tentacles stab right through his thigh before feeling the icy cold grip of the Arctic Ocean. Tony was on him instantly, dragging him out of the water. Clint flew them over the island to pick up the rest of the team and they headed home. The Avengers kept the creature from destroying the little Icelandic island. The local government could handle clean up.

Steve looked up from his sketch pad; scanning the room, brows furrowed. He made eye contact with Natasha who shook her head slightly and saw she looked just as confused for once. She must have really been relaxing.

“Who’re you talking to, Evil-Lyn?” Tony asked from the leather recliner he was sharing with Pepper. Steve had purchased the extra wide armchair in SOHO so he and Bucky could do exactly that. It was a tight squeeze, but that just made the cuddling that much better. 

Tony had been scrolling through a tablet while absently playing with Pepper’s hair; soothing her into a light doze. Tearing his gaze away from the soft intimacy, Steve had to follow Tony’s gaze to see who he was talking to.

Evil-Lyn? He definitely didn’t get that reference.

But following Tony’s focus, he saw he was looking at Loki?

Loki who was looking at...Bucky?

Loki wanted to teach Bucky how to teleport? 

What?

Steve looked around the room at the others. He clearly wasn’t the only one confused, for which he was extremely grateful. Bruce, Sam, Clint, Wanda and Natasha all wore looks identical to the one Steve was sure he was sporting. Steve was also sure that Tony had only responded to the smoothly purred question because he couldn’t stand silence for more than three minutes.

Looking back at Loki, Steve realized he hadn’t taken his eyes off of Bucky. Bucky, who wasn’t paying any attention to Loki or the room. Steve was positive Bucky was aware of the people and their positions in the room. He was just finally comfortable enough with the team to let his guard down in their presence; at least in his own territory. 

Bucky was reading a science fiction pulp novel. He had heard the question and figured Loki was talking to Wanda. Who else could he be talking to? She was the only other magic user on the team, after all. He hadn’t bothered to look up because it wasn’t any of his business, and he really didn’t care. His injuries were on the mend; medical had told him he had about three more days and he’d be good to go. He was finally warming up after his fucked up dip in the Arctic. Bucky hated being cold and that water had been so reminiscent of cryo it had brought the nightmares back last night. Steve, his amazing punk, had stayed awake with him most of the night trying to keep them at bay. Today, Bucky was determined to keep his grumpy ass squished in the corner of their ridiculously comfy sofa and find out what happened to Princess Sheyleena of Rayleon Prime.

“James? Will you allow me to teach you how to teleport?”

Pulling his eyes away from his book, Bucky looked at Loki. 

“What?”

“I said, will you please allow me to teach you how to teleport?”

“What?”

“Oh for the love of…” Tony began, rolling his eyes dramatically. “Hey Communist Threat. Maleficent over there wants to teach you how to transport yourself across distances instantly.”

Bucky cut his eyes to Tony’s without bothering to move his head. “I understood what he said, Stark. I just don’t understand why he’s talking to me. I’m not magical,” he said bitingly.

See. Grumpy.

“Loki,” Steve said calmly. “Can you please explain what you’re planning? I think I speak for everyone when I say we are much too tired to deal with any tricks right now.” Steve stood protectively next to his best guy. “Not to mention Bucky’s injured.”

“Peace, friend Steven. I’m sure Loki has no intentions of causing your Bucky any harm,” Thor said, coming in from the balcony. He was carrying Mjolnir but wearing jeans and a t-shirt; he must have come from seeing his old roommate, Darryl. “Do you, Loki?”

“Of course not. I have no desire to trick one such as yourself,” Loki replied, looking at Bucky and ignoring Steve’s aggression. 

“One such as me?” Bucky asked, clearly unimpressed.

“One who has known pain and suffering beyond imagination and still strives to do good,” Loki said bluntly. He cuts his eyes to the most notorious do-gooder and smirks, “But not too good, I think.”

Steve rolls his eyes. Loki has never made it a secret that he finds Steve’s integrity amusing, in an “aren't you adorable” kinda way. He doesn’t dislike the upstanding captain, per se. He just doesn’t have any place in his very long lived life for that level of naivety. His older brother was more than enough of a headache.

Turning back to the wintry gaze beside him, Loki pressed on. “I’d like to teach you how to teleport if you’ll let me,” he said, clearly. “You are literally the only one on the team that is just as useful in a melee position as you are in your ranged position. I would say Thor is as well, but without his strength, you would defeat him easily. He is a hack and slash fighter, or a smack and smash fighter. He is not skilled in the nuances of fighting. Very similar to your Captain. And yet, you are also a sniper and therefore always the furthest from the fight, but by some happenstance of fate you always end up in the thick of it. I’d hazard a guess that it is protecting the good Captain’s back that has you running into danger more often than not. However, like yesterday, the fight just as often comes to you. Although unlike Wanda, Stark, Sam, Colonel Rhodes, and myself, you cannot get from one position to the other easily. I can help.”

Bucky just stared at him, head tilted just so. Bucky was neither new nor stupid. He knew Loki’s reputation and it wasn’t about helping people. He was called the Trickster God for a reason and Bucky’s been tricked enough, thanks. He had no idea what learning magic entailed for someone not magical, but it had to include more trust than he was capable of producing. He looked up at Steve, hovering over him as if his sheer size would protect Bucky from Loki’s words. He knew his punk. He wanted to trust Loki, and to an extent, he did. But he wouldn’t trust Loki with Bucky. Shifting his shoulder, he nudged Steve’s thigh. He tilted his head towards Steve just as Steve reached down and put his hand on top of Bucky’s head, running his fingers gently through his hair.

“How exactly would you teach me magic? I didn’t think that was something people could just learn to do.” 

Steve looked shocked Bucky would even entertain the idea of letting Loki anywhere near him. Yeah, you and me both, Pal.

“A simple spell.”

“Uh, no! No. Magic is never simple. There’s always a catch or a trick or a Genie trying to steal your soul so they can live out eternity on a beach somewhere while you’re breaking rocks in a diamond mind, getting whipped for taking a water break! No magic!”

“Tony…” Pepper warned, half asleep.

“Tones, man. He’s not a Genie and you’re no longer allowed to watch Indiana Jones or any other action film when you’re sleep deprived,” Rhodey murmured from behind the palm he had slapped over his face.

“Seconded.”

“Thanks, Bruce, you traitor,” Tony said, betrayal clear in his voice.

“New Rule!” Clint mocked.

“I hate you all. Why do I keep any of you around?”

“I believe Sir, your explanation to General Ross was “for the porn potential” when he asked-” JARVIS helpfully began.

“Thanks, J!” Tony cut the AI off.

Loki cleared his throat and cut his eyes from Tony back to Bucky. He noticed several of the Avengers doing the same. “As I was saying, I will cast a simple spell on you. You won’t be able to do magic as much as you will be able to teleport.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it. James, I’m not going to try to teach you to harness some ancient power from deep within. You don’t have that power.”

“Hey,” Steve glared at Loki.

Bucky rolled his eyes. “Steve, are you actually offended on my behalf because Loki said I’m not magical? Which, ya know I’m not.”

“He said you’re not powerful, Buck.” Steve looked down at Loki making sure he had his undivided attention. “Bucky’s plenty powerful. He could kick _your_ ass.”

“I really couldn’t, so I'm gonna need you to shut the hell up, Steve.” Bucky looked over at the others in the room. “Back Alley Rogers, ladies and gentlemen. _Never ran away from a fight_ , my ass. More like started fights where there didn’t need to be any,” he huffed. “I love that you think the world of me, Stevie, but if you could not get me into a fight with an Asgardian God, that’d be swell.”

Steve blushed a deep pink but held his ground, go figure. “You are powerful, Buck. Strongest person I’ve ever met,” he said, cupping his face, sliding his thumb over Bucky’s sharp cheekbone. 

And now Steve wasn’t the only one blushing.

“So,” Bucky cleared his throat and tried again. “A spell, that’s it?”

“That’s it. I have to be versed in magic, you do not. If I cast a spell on you and turned you into a frog, you would only have to learn to live as a frog, would you not? I will cast a spell on you giving you the ability to teleport. You just have to learn to control it.”

“He speaks the truth,” Wanda said softly, snuggled up on one of the larger sofas with Bruce and Clint. “As long as he does only what he says he will do, then you can trust him. My magic does not work like his. I do not do spells and incantations. But, a spell is a spell. If he places one upon you it will affect you only as it is intended to. He cannot place a spell on you that allows you to teleport but also controls your free will. That is not how his magic works.”

Her words were met with silence. He trusted Wanda, as much as Bucky trusted anyone that wasn’t Steve. Now he had to decide how much trust he had in Loki. 

The God of Lies

Strong fingers were tugging at his hair. He looked up at Steve, already knowing he was with him no matter what Bucky chose to do. He closed his eyes and dug deep. Could he let a known liar and deceiver do something to him? Could he trust him to keep his word and only do what he says he’ll do? Can he come back to himself, the self he worked so hard to rebuild, if things go south? 

When he opened his eyes he nodded short and sharp to Steve and then turned to Loki. “Fine, but you’ll do us both,” he concluded, nodding to Steve.

“Oh come on! The porn potential is ri-”

“Shut up, Tony,” Pepper mumbled next to him. 

“You can cast your spell, but you’ll do it to both myself and Steve. And Loki, I need you to really listen to me when I say this. I spent the last 70 years as someone else's slave. I will not go back to that,” he said fiercely. “I know you play your tricks and like to think they’re harmless. But if you mess with my mind in any way, one of us will not be around to laugh about it down the road. I will not go back to that ever again. Do you understand me?”

“I do.”

“I need you to say the words, Loki.”

The room was incredibly quiet and tense. Everyone seemed to realize this wasn’t a pissing contest. Bucky wasn’t threatening Loki. He was warning him. He would not survive unraveling again and he’d do his damndest to take Loki down with him. And if he couldn’t, Steve certainly would.

“James, I promise you, I will not in any way play with your mind or take away your free will,” Loki said. He paused for a moment and then said very quietly, “I swear it on my mother, Frigga Freyrdottir.”

“Listen to him, James,” Thor said, throat tight. “This oath he would not break.”

It was Steve who took a shuddering breath and said, “Okay, Loki, when Bucky’s all healed up you can cast your spell. We’ll trust you. But if you do any sneaky underhanded stuff I’m kicking your ass. That's a promise.”

Bucky’s laugh broke the tension. “Once again, ladies and gents. Back Alley Fight Me Rogers. Stevie, get down here ya mook,” and he hugged his punk.

***

There was something about seeing Loki standing in the gym in Avengers Tower that was just weird. He was wearing tight black pants that Clint would classify as rockstar skinny leathers but the supple leather clearly didn’t come from any animal on earth. He had on a long sleeved black shirt and tough but elegant black boots. With his hair slicked back off of his face he kinda looked like-

“Why are you dressed like a stagehand?” Clint asked. He was sitting on a balance beam, legs swinging as he fiddled with an arrow head. He was twirling it through his fingers absentmindedly. 

“Clint.”

“No, Cap I’m really curious. Was he going for Ninja? Dieter from the Sprockets?”

“Dance Party!” Tony yelled. He was using the climbing wall against the back of the gym, white chalk hand prints staining his own black on black outfit. 

“I do not understand that reference,” Thor muttered kinda loudly and was resoundingly ignored. He was tossing Mjolnir over his head, putting as many rotations into each toss as he could before catching it again. 

Unlike Loki who was covered from fingertips to Adam's apple, Tony was wearing a tank top, showing off surprisingly muscular arms. Who knew the Tin can had some muscle? Being an archer, Clint knew arms. He may be one of the smaller guys on the team, but Clint knew his own strengths. Only Thor and Steve beat him in the bicep department, but c’mon. A God and Cap, who was _scientifically designed_ to beat everyone in the everything category. Now if they were talking thighs, Bucky had everyone beat, hands down. Well except for maybe Cap, again. 

“Aww, science, no,” he muttered.

“Clint. Stop staring at James and Steve. It’s disturbing.” Natasha said from the floor. She was in a full straddle split, her torso lying comfortably on the thick red mat beneath her. She had her face turned toward him, cheek resting on the back of her stacked hands. Her eyes were closed. 

“But Nat,” he began only to be rudely interrupted.

“They’re super soldiers, Clint. Your mere mortal ass will never compete.”

Steve and Bucky stood with their arms crossed over their ridiculous chests, tight t’s and basketball shorts accentuating Natasha’s words. Neither sure what to say in regards to the topic at hand.

“Can we get back on topic here?” Bucky asked.

“With pleasure,” Loki purred, feet planted firmly and arms crossed over his chest. “First, I will cast the spell on you both. Then, I will demonstrate the actual skill. I learned how to do this when I was five so I know you’re both capable. However, just like anything or anyone else, I had to be taught. You both are lucky. You don’t have to learn how to control magic, you have to learn to control a skill.” Loki paused to make sure they were both following.

Steve and Bucky looked at each other and then back to Loki. They had already made their decision, they weren’t here to change their minds.

“There isn’t a lot for me to actually teach you. As I said, I cannot teach you to wield Seidr magic. But what I can do is teach you what to expect from the spell and how to control the outcome. Now, first you will decide where it is you want to go and focus on that location. You will feel a pulling sensation within your body. Your mind has decided to be in the location you focused on, the tugging sensation is your body’s acknowledgement that it should be there as well. If you no longer desire to jump to that location you simply don’t follow the tugging.”

“That’s it?” Tony asked incredulously, chalked fingers scrolling through his phone. “No bibbity bobbity boo?”

“That’s it.” Loki smirked at them. 

He raised one hand and snapped his fingers.

“Now. Follow me.”

***

Bucky was having a blast. He had no idea how he was doing it, but it was awesome. For the last twenty minutes, he had been bouncing around the gym, chasing Loki from one stop to another. He’d spot Loki by the treadmill, feel a tug in his chest, and BAM! He’s right next to the treadmill! Stop. See Loki by the parallel bars, feel the tug, BAM! The rockwall. The bench press. The upstairs track. All within the blink of an eye. It was incredible!

Steve, on the other hand.

“What the shit!” Steve yelled in frustration. How was he incapable of doing this? He’d spent the last twenty minutes stumbling and jerking himself back and forth in a four foot radius. He’d choose a spot to jump to only to find himself stumbling and tripping a foot or two away from his starting point. 

“Seriously. How are you incapable of doing this?” Clint asked. He, Natasha, Tony, and Thor were sitting on the balance beam watching the show. He was sure Sam and Rhodey would be there enjoying his humiliation as well if they hadn’t had to return to D.C. for business. 

Where the fuck did these guys get the popcorn from anyway?

Steve whipped his head around and pointed a hard finger in Clint’s face. “One more word Clint and I will break your nose. I swear to God. One word!”

Bucky popped up next to Steve, making him jump. He was already pissed off that he couldn’t figure out how to make the jump, and Clint’s ragging wasn’t helping his confidence at all. Bucky popping in like it was nothing and making him physically jump had Steve almost seeing red.

“Fuck!” He screamed. 

  
“Steve. Stevie! Look at me,” Bucky commanded. He grabbed the back of Steve’s neck and gripped, hard. “C’mon, Punk, it’s not that big of a deal. Remember the shield? Huh? How many tries did it take? You almost scalped Morita on your second throw. Now you can knock a man out of a crows nest half a mile out.” Bucky rubbed his thumb across flushed and chiseled cheekbones. He splayed his vibranium hand across Steve’s lower back and pulled him in close. Bucky leaned in and kissed Steve hard, lips full of promise “You and me, Stevie. We got this. Yeah?”

Steve nodded his head, looking Bucky in the eyes. His cheeks were pink and he could feel that his neck and chest were warm too. He didn’t know if it was from anger and frustration or embarrassment at his own inabilities and behavior. Just maybe, it was because of the way Bucky tastes.

“Yeah, Jerk. We got this. Now show me what you’re doing.”

Unfortunately Bucky never got the chance. About two seconds into his explanation, the emergency lights began flashing and an alarm sounded.

“What do we got, J?” Tony yelled, already headed towards the locker room. 

“A portal has opened up on the roof, Sir. It appears as though a large swarm of giant robotic ants have descended on the tower,” JARVIS explained.

“J, get me Pym and Lang on comms. If this is their doing, then they can definitely help undo it. And if it isn’t their doing, well they can help out anyway. Maybe they have an ant whistle. Hey J, remind me to invent an ant whistle.”

“Certainly, Sir.”

“Alright everyone, you heard the man. Giant robotic ants up on the roof. Suit up!” Steve called. 

***

“Do you think having all of us here might be overkill? I think it’s overkill. I mean, I’m not really doing anything. What about you guys? You guys busy?”

“Scott! Of all of us here, I’d think you’d be pretty useful right about now, dontcha think!” Clint yelled.

Wanda, Thor, Cap and Tony were handling things pretty well as their own little group. Wanda was grabbing them with her magic, crushing some and holding other groups together so Thor and Tony could blast them. Steve was using his shield, enthusiastically seeing how long he could keep the shield pin-balling off of the ants until it returned to his arm. Natasha, Bucky, Clint and Loki were standing spread out near the edges of the roof, picking off the stragglers that got too close. They didn’t want these things crawling down into the civilian population.

“Well, I mean, I can try. Robot ants aren’t really my thing. More of a real ant guy myself. Well, here's hoping!” After throwing them a double thumbs up, Scott shrank down, jumped on the back of tiny Steven GrAnt and flew towards the fight. 

“He’s not wrong,” Nat said, drily. She was using her widow bites and tossing taser discs at anything that came near her side of the building, but there really wasn’t much to do. The big guns had it mostly contained while Bruce was working on shutting down the portal from inside the labs downstairs. “Steve looks like he’s trying to set some type of pinball wizard record, and I’m pretty sure Tony and Thor are keeping score.”

“Oh they’re definitely keeping score,” Bucky said, right before shooting two ants that managed to get too close. “Although I think they’ve got a new game. Are they playing baseball? I mean is Thor playing baseball? I didn’t realize he knew the game.”

Natasha whipped her head around to the larger group. “Dammit, Thor! You have no idea where that’s going to land. What if it hits civilians?”

“Come on Fabio. I’ll race you,” Tony said, before taking off after the quickly disappearing, twisted metal ball of ants.

“You are on, Man of Iron!” Thor bellowed.

“So what do you think, Oh God of Mischief. Think we can show them what a little magic can do?” Wanda asked, grinning mischievously at Loki.

Grabbing onto her outstretched hand, Loki said, “I’m sure we can think of something.” They vanished in a red-green haze.

“Now this feels more like it! I feel useful again,” Clint yelled from atop an air conditioning unit. He was using his shock arrows to electrocute the resurging ants.

“You feel better being in more danger?” Bucky asked with a smirk. Count on Clint to say the strangest things.

“I’m an Avenger. I’m always in danger. Right now, I feel useful. We had more fire power up here two minutes ago than we did when we faced off against the Chitari.”

“He’s not wrong,” Natasha said. 

“Alright guys, Bruce got the portal closed so let’s finish this. Nat, Clint, hit that last cluster with as much electricity as you can muster. Buck, get up on that ledge, ground yourself from the electricity.”

After making sure everyone was in position Clint fired two water arrows at the mass of robot ants, soaking the group thoroughly. Knocking two more arrows, he nodded at Natasha and let loose his electric shock arrows.

“So like I said-” Scott began. He popped up right to full size in front of the cluster of ants, between them and Clint's arrow. 

“Lang!” Bucky yelled. He took one step off the ledge and grabbed Scott by the arm, tossing him bodily up onto the ledge. Before he could jump back to safety, electricity tore through Bucky like a blast from Thor’s hammer. In an instant he was back in the chair, screaming for his life.

“Bucky!” Steve screamed. He watched as Bucky’s eyes rolled back into his head and he convulsed, body twitching sickeningly. Steve was sure too much blood came out of his nose, and his body went limp like a puppet with its strings cut. 

“No, no, no, no, no!” He could see it all happening in slow motion and he couldn’t let it happen again. Steve took off, running along the roof’s ledge, staying away from the electrified floor. He was within arms reach when Bucky swayed forward and then back and then slipped over the edge.

“Bucky!”

Steve dropped the shield and dove for Bucky, getting two fingers under the shoulder strap of Bucky’s tac vest before he could completely disappear over the edge of the building. Steve slid over the edge of the roof, barely able to catch the lip and hang on. 

“Bucky! C’mon Buck!” Steve yelled. Bucky was unconscious, dangling 93 stories up and Steve could feel him slipping. This wasn’t happening! He couldn’t lose him again. He couldn’t watch him fall one more time.

“Bucky. I need you to wake up, love,” Steve said tearfully, panicking. “You’re slipping, baby, and I can’t hold you. I can’t… can’t. I just… please! Ah, God, please, Buck! Don’t let me drop you! Bucky!” Steve cried.

The tac vest wasn’t meant to carry 230 lbs of Super-solider muscle by one strap. It couldn’t take the strain. It wasn’t meant.. to…

Snap!

The silence at 93 stories is deafening.

Natasha and the others screaming over his shoulder didn’t exist. The robotic ants, twitching and dying on the roof didn’t exist. The volatile noise of the city, something ingrained in his enhanced bones, didn’t exist. He heard nothing except the thump-thump of Bucky’s heart, growing more faint, beating further and further away from him.

Steve let go.

“Bucky,” he whispered.

And followed the tug. 

In the blink of an eye Steve was startled to find he had his arms wrapped around the man he loved more than life itself. Seeing the ground rushing to meet them, Steve pictured the lobby of the building and thanked Loki when they disappeared and re-materialized in a heap on the floor of Avengers Tower.

Ignoring the startled screams of the civilians around them, Steve reached up to cradle Bucky’s head gently between his palms.

“Baby? Baby, I need you to look at me,” Steve pleaded. “I’m right here, Buck. Can you open your eyes for me, love?” Steve used his thumbs to wipe the blood from Bucky's nose and mouth. Slipping two fingers under his chin, Steve felt for a pulse, trying to ignore the one pounding in his ears. Logically he knew Bucky was alive; he’d followed that heartbeat all the way down. But he needed to feel it, he needed Bucky to open his eyes and tell him he was okay.

“Come on, Baby. Come on. Wake up for me. You’re so strong. You’re so strong, Bucky,” he whispered.

“Captain Rogers,” JARVIS intoned from the lobby ceiling, startling the already alarmed crowd. “I’ve called for emergency personnel. They will be arriving momentarily to take Sergeant Barnes to the med-bay where Dr. Cho has been notified. I’ve also taken the liberty of informing the team of your’s and Sergeant Barnes’ location and condition.”

“Thanks, JARVIS,” Steve said, throat tight, eyes never leaving Bucky’s face. He ran his fingers gently through soft, chocolate brown tresses, pulling the long strands off of sweat and blood covered cheeks. “Come back to me, Buck. Please, come back to me.”

“Stevvie?” Bucky slurred. His eyes were open but unfocused.

“There you are,” he said, tears of relief ran down his cheeks to hang on his lips and chin. “There you are.”

***

Beeping and hissing. 

He knew that sound. That sound meant he was in a hospital and not back in the chair. His head felt like he was back in the chair. The effort it took to open his eyes was more than worth it when he saw the golden head of hair propped up on strong, broad hands, like he was praying. Bucky’s own hand firmly clasped between them. 

Steve. 

He was still in his uniform, covered in dirt and blood. Blood? 

“We were fighting robotic ants. Where’d the blood come from?” His words were slower than usual, like he was talking with a mouthful of mud. 

Steve’s bluer than blue eyes snapped to his. The fear was evident even as he let out a huge stuttering sigh of relief. 

“Hey, Buck,” Steve said softly, his eyes filling up. “How are you feeling?”

“Like I pissed off Thor and the Hulk. What happened?”

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Steve countered gently.

“Giant pain in the ass ants and too many of us on the roof.”

Steve gave a watery chuckle. “You sound like Clint.” He gripped Bucky’s hand a little tighter and kissed the back of his wrist. “You’re right. We were over-manned and everyone was getting a little antsy. The fliers took off and went after an ant ball Thor made, some kinda contest, I don’t know. I decided the best way to end things was for Clint and Nat to electrocute the last of the ants. Unfortunately, Scott got in between Clint and the ants. You saved him, Buck. He was going to get electrocuted when you tossed him up onto the ledge. You weren’t so lucky, Buck. You were standing in a puddle of water when you got hit with both Nat’s widow bites, her taser discs, and Clint’s shock arrows. God, Buck,” Steve whimpered. “You took 72,000 volts of electricity before falling off the top of the tower. I had you in my hand,” he tried to get out, choking on the words. “I had you but I couldn’t... I couldn’t hold on. Christ, I dropped you again, Buck. I...I couldn’t hold on.”

“Shh, Stevie, I’m all right. I’m right here, sweetheart. You can’t get rid of me that easily.” Steve was sobbing. He’d come too close, again. “Shh, C’mon Doll, I’m okay. Wait, how am I okay?”

Steve laughed and used the back of his gloved hand to wipe his nose.

“That’s pretty gross, pal,” Bucky complained, already feeling exhausted.

Steve laughed again, lowering his head again. “Loki.”

“Loki saved us?” his words were faint to his own ears, echoing back to him feebly.

“What Loki taught us saved us. I was finally able to teleport. Dropped us right in the middle of the lobby downstairs. Scared the crap outta everyone. Scared the crap outta me,” he mumbled the last part. Steve knew he had a whole new level of nightmare awaiting him when he closed his eyes.

“Love you so mushh. Thanks for savin’ m’life. M’ proud of you, ya’know,” he slurred. “End a the line, Punk. We ain’ there, yet,” was all he could get out before oblivion reclaimed him.

***

Bucky was lying on the sofa playing the little spoon to Steve’s big spoon. He was wearing his softest pajama bottoms and Steve’s navy hoodie. He was drifting in and out of consciousness, relaxed by the strong, capable fingers threading through his hair and messaging his scalp tenderly. When the aftershocks came it was very comforting and served as a reminder that he was safe. The shocks were small little things, little jolts that coursed down his spine and made his head and shoulder feel tingly. He hated all of it. It was too much like after the chair. His muscles spasmed and twitched and ached. He knew with his healing factor he should be fine soon, but fine was relative. 

Right now he was more concerned with Steve.

“Hey Steve?”

“Hmm?”

The television was on with the volume low. It was replaying news footage of their sudden appearance in the lobby that someone captured with a shaky phone camera. Steve was half lying on top of Bucky, crying, pleading for him to wake up.

“When did you figure out how to teleport?”

The gentle hand in his hair paused for a fraction of a second before resuming its progress. “At about 600 feet. I found my arms full of you and the ground about five seconds away,” he admitted. His tone of voice letting Bucky know there was nothing to argue about. Regardless of any words Bucky could come up with to chastise him, Steve was never going to just watch Bucky fall ever again. 

“We’re going to have to think of a way to thank him. Loki, I mean,” Bucky said.

“Yeah we are,” Steve said. “We really are.”

“Captain Rogers, Sergeant Barnes,” JARVIS began, slightly startling the pair out of their weighty thoughts. “Sir has asked if you’re receiving visitors. He and the rest of the team, aside from Loki and Thor who left for Asgard this morning, are attempting to gain access to your floor.” 

“Is there an emergency?”

“No, Sir. I believe Sir and the team are concerned for Sergeant Barnes’ well being. Mr. Lang in particular is interested in Sergeant Barnes’ recovery.”

Bucky’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Scott’s worried about _me_?” he asked, his eyes shifting to the ceiling out of habit.

“His exact words were, ‘Oh, God. Cap’s gonna kill me if Barnes is messed up. I’d be safer back in prison. I mean, Luis can take over the business, but I’ll never see Cassie again. I’m the world’s best grandma. I can’t abandon my ki-’ he was cut off by a threat from Ms. Romanoff,” he said drily, sounding as board as an AI built by Tony Stark can sound. 

Steve rubbed his eyes and his heart lightened at the soft little chuckle he felt against his chest. “Send them in JARVIS. We might as well get this part over with.”

It wasn’t that Steve didn’t want to see his team mates, his family. They were just so much. After the last few days, he just wanted to cuddle Bucky and be there for him. Remind himself that he’s okay. He didn’t have the energy to banter with Tony or try to decipher Nat’s nonexistent facial expressions. They definitely needed to get some normal friends.

“Ben Franklin!” Tony called from the entryway. “You have heard of him, right? They taught you about him back in the stone age, didn’t they? Well I thought you were through playing with electricity,” Tony said, leading the rest of the team into Bucky and Steve’s living room. “I know it was kind of a boring fight, but electroshock therapy isn’t the way to liven things up.” 

“Dammit, Tony,” Steve groaned but was cut off by Bucky.

“Please, Stark. You think those little tinker toys you outfitted Clint and Natasha with are stronger than the chair? That wasn’t even a standard Saturday night at a Hydra sleepover,” he lied, baring his teeth in a shitty impersonation of a smile. His tough guy act was severely hampered by an aftershock that wracked through his body. Bucky could feel Steve flinch behind him even as he was enveloped in a tight embrace to hold back the shakes. He instantly regretted responding to the needling. But if Stark was gonna be flippant and bring up Bucky’s past torture, Bucky wasn’t gonna ignore him. You can’t ignore Stark. You gave as good as you got or suffered that smug, know-it-all grin. 

Bucky elbowed Steve lightly, “Sit up, punk.” After shifting positions on the sofa, Bucky leaned back into Steve’s chest and folded his legs under him. He ran his flesh hand up and down the tense thigh framing his own. “I’m fine Steve,” he murmured, snuggling back into his warm broad chest. He tucked his hands into the front pocket of the hoodie and looked at the rest of the team.

“I’m fine,” he repeated. He scanned the group. He could see they were worried about him, especially Wanda and Natasha. Clint, as the resident dumpster fire, had been there before so many times it was hard for him to get worked up unless it was life or death. And Tony didn’t really do emotions. His way of showing concern was to throw money at something or invent something.

“Yeah well, I’m already working on a material for your suit that should keep you grounded from electricity no matter what.” He waggled his finger between Bucky and Steve. “You’re clearly the brains of that operation. Can’t have that brain get any more scrambled then it already is.”

Bucky’s smile was very real this time. He couldn’t be too obvious, because Tony and emotions, but he was touched. 

“Are you okay, James?” Natasha asked, with her unique brand of quiet intensity. No matter, or perhaps in spite of, their pasts, Natasha had a soft spot for James. He was incredibly dangerous, and it had taken her a long time to trust him, but she did.

“Yes, Natasha. Cho said I’ll have aftershocks for a week, maybe less considering my healing factor. Like I said, I’m fine.”

“I know Dr. Cho is the best in her field and you have an amazing healing factor, James, but did she say anything about your motor skills? Gross and fine? With your history, I’m worried there could be complications,” Bruce said softly. He was trying to be tactful with what everyone was thinking. More electricity to an already traumatized brain. 

“My motor skills, gross and fine, checked out okay before I left the med-bay. During an aftershock they’re compromised, obviously, but that will taper off according to Cho. My memory is also fine, no holes. Well, no more holes than usual,” he said with a cheeky grin.

Steve groaned and dropped his forehead to Bucky's shoulder. “Please, stop Buck. My heart can’t take anymore.”

The others chuckled but Bucky knew Steve wasn’t exaggerating. It was like Steve had had to watch Bucky fall from the train all over again. His worst nightmare, come to life again before his eyes. Bucky’s heart ached for him.

“Your heart!” Scott cried. “I swear I shit my pants when you let go and dove after him.” It was the first thing he’d said since they all came in the room. Like he was trying not to call attention to himself.

“That was bad ass, by the way,” Clint chimed in. “When did you have the time to figure it out. You were awful in the gym.”

Everyone nodded their heads, remembering his poor attempt at teleportation.

At first he wasn’t sure how to answer, then he simply said, “Teleportation is easy when it takes you to the only place you want to be.”

Steve looked at Bucky. His forever. His home. 

“Well, we’re going to take off and let you two get back to recuperating. I’m glad you’re okay, Bucky. Let me know if there’s anything I can do,” Wanda said, squeezing his shoulder before returning to fiddle with the ends of her french braid.

“What she said,” Tony said and jumped up and headed for the door, “but not me. JARVIS. If you need anything, let JARVIS know.” And with that, they were gone, leaving Steve and Bucky alone once again.

In the sudden stillness of the room, their heartbeats were all that could be heard. Beating in unison. Bucky brought his hand up to the back of Steve’s neck and squeezed, hard.

“Thank you for saving me, Steve,” he said, quietly but with everything he had.

“Every time, Jerk. Every time.”

  
  
  



End file.
